MEDIA BIAS

Obama: FOX and Limbaugh 'Punish' Republicans Who Cooperate

President blames conservative media for holding government hostage

Jan 27, 2013 by Mary Noble

Senior Editor t

Image: AP

Obama blames the conservative media for the fact that Republicans in Congress won't work with him. He told The New Republic that GOP members are too afraid to work with Democrats because they'll be punished by Fox News and Rush Limbaugh.

"If a Republican member of Congress is not punished on Fox News or by Rush Limbaugh for working with a Democrat on a bill of common interest, then you'll see more of them doing it," said the president.

The president also implicitly blamed grassroots Republican voters, whom he said are more conservative than John Boehner, and try to push the speaker to the right. "I think John Boehner genuinely wanted to get a deal done, but it was hard to do in part because his caucus is more conservative probably than most Republican leaders are."

The president suggested that Congress is filled with legislators who would be much happier to work together on bipartisan bills, if only they could. "I've always believed that there are a bunch of Republicans of goodwill who would rather get something done than suffer through the sort of nasty atmosphere that prevails in Washington right now...If you talk privately to Democrats and Republicans, particularly those who have been around for a while, they long for the days when they could socialize and introduce bipartisan legislation and feel productive."

Obama took credit on the liberal side for functioning better. He said that liberal media outlets are less extreme, and "recognize that compromise is not a dirty word." And he added that he himself - along with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi - are braver about standing up to "the more absolutist-wing elements in our party to try to get stuff done."

Via the New Republic.

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Comments (view in Forum)

Jan '13

FollowTheMoney

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All of them are to blame. If ones not part of the solution, then they're part of the problem.
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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Quoting Eldridge Cleaver? My, my...mao did say there would be contradictions!
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Jan '13

armed_liberal

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It's a Rupert Murdoch show. He owns the media that feeds BS to the right wing masses... The Tea Party is paid for by the Koch Brothers. Fools listen to right wing media, it's all BS.
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Post @armed_liberal
Jan '13

Tralee

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@armed_liberal "It's a Rupert Murdoch show. He owns the media that feeds BS to the right wing masses... The Tea Party is paid for by the Koch Brothers. Fools listen to right wing media, it's all BS." Yep, definitely a bit of BS going on here for sure. Makes me laugh though, the whole Obama Administration and all their lemmings totally afraid of Fox News, one voice out of 50 or more. LOL - must be a very loud voice or is it that having the truth out their, even if it's only one source, is something to be afraid of? After all, if it's all lies, what's the worry? Now, if you really want to discuss the party of lies, innuendo, misinformation, propaganda and rhetoric, I'm your gal. Care to take me on?
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Post @Tralee
Jan '13

GmanGSW

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I think they are all part of the problem= Murdoch & Koch bros (Right); Bloomberg (Left); ultimately it is up to us to make sure our legislature hears us, as we have to sift through all of the crap. Oh, wait, then there is POTUS with his free talk time every time he says something on ANY network. Wait, he says the Right is held back, HA! LOL! I live right outside of DC & when in there, I see Reps & Dems socializing ALL the time. Again, it is up to "we, the people to sift through the crap!" Sadly, many people, not all, tend to just listen to 1 network & read 1 paper. Want to learn? Watch and read both sides, or more, for sifting through the crap...
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Post @GmanGSW
Jan '13

GmanGSW

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Obama is being rather whiney about the entire bit. I think, when I really want to laugh, that Rush Limbaugh is funny as all get out! Fox holding POTUS back? The Repubs "scared" how they'll be "taken" if heard by their ultra right wing constituents? Come on... POTUS, don't blame! Bad prez! What about POTUS? Enough said, for the moment. ;^)
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Jan '13

Grubby

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What a joke. Always somebody else to blame. It could not possibly be his extreme liberal left-wing policies, or the extremely pro-liberal mainstream media. The only moderate news channel in the country is Fox, but to Obama they seem far right wing. It only illustrates again just what a radical, left-wing socialist we have in the White House.
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Jan '13

Starsplash

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Nice story. But at least the liberals are trying to do something.

You forgot the fact that the right didn't do shit. All they did was obstruct, whine and complain, but also had no plan of their own.
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Post @Starsplash
Jan '13

rkinsawjoe

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Fox news moderate? Talk about an illustration of where one is on the political spectrum, that one beats GPS!
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Post @rkinsawjoe
Jan '13

jessejaymes

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If Fox is a moderate then who would you say is FAR FAR FAR right wing? This may be the most extremist comment ever posted in the history of Politix. Saying Fox is "moderate" is like saying rattlesnakes make good bed partners.
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Post @jessejaymes
Jan '13

scotta

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@Starsplash the Republicans are listening to the people who hired them for the job. The King didn't hire them. I notified my house and senate repesentives to vote no on raising the debt ceiling. Get a budget, vote against the weapons ban. And to vote to resend Obama care. I am not the only one who has chatted to them about the same tings. Obama does not hire and fire the people do. But he always has had to blame somebody else for anything he doesn't he.
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Post @scotta
Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

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@scotta - but don't you and others on the right form at least some of your views from watching Fox or listening to conservative talk radio?
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Jan '13

DARSB

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"Terrorist fist jab"
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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Who doesn't remember that? Saw two guys bump fist a couple days ago when walking with my gf. I said "you see that?" she said "terrorist fist bump" and we laughed. Some things about that election won't go away. Quick, how many homes does McCain own?
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Jan '13

scotta

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@PoliticalSpice almost as many as senator Kerry's wife owns.
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Jan '13

PNWest

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@PoliticalSpice If he can't remember how can i?
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@scotta Well then tell keery to send ne and my gf the check, I wasn't aware I was on a payroll till now.
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@scotta oh misunderstood. Yea, but McCain said he didn't know how many homes he owned...
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Jan '13

Thunderchicken

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Maybe some of the editorial shows on Fox go at them. And maybe Rush too. That's what editorial shows are about. I really don't pay too much attention to them.
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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Here in the DC area, we have a local conservative radio talk show host by the name of Chris Plante. Listening to his crazy rants makes hearing Limbaugh and Hannity a lot more bearable...lol

http://www.wmal.com/common/more.php...
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Jan '13

bsking

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Obama doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground
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Jan '13

SignifiedNBlue

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He appears paranoid schizophrenic too...lol great hes also mental besides musloom .
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Jan '13

PNWest

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Yet he put a smackdown on both McCain and Romney. Doesn't say much for the GOP now does it?
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Post @PNWest
Jan '13

scotta

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@PNWest doesn't say much about him. I really would have worried if he had not beat McCain or Romney. Dead Mayor Daily in Chicago could have beat both of them. So bragging about beating thoes two is not much to brag about.
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Post @scotta
Jan '13

PNWest

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@scotta Then I must be putting down the GOP pretty hard since McCain and Romney were the guys that they put up to represent the party.
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Jan '13

scotta

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@PNWest I agree they were what the party put up. I did not care for either one. I felt that Sara should of had the lead spot there. I felt Herman Cain should have been the canadate instead of mitt. Sorry I am a conservative, and Sara and Herman were the two cloest to my way of thinking. I didn't agree with everything the last two said.
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Jan '13

DyingBreed

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The Left doesn't see compromise as a dirty word, because they think compromise only means that the Right must compromise.
- B3 • Vote Up r5 Replies
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Jan '13

marine1

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How is it that TWO conservative networks outperform so many liberal to moderate leaning networks, that it requires a setting president to coment on it?
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Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

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@marine1 - I've noticed that most of the liberals I know tend to ignore msnbc and cnn as news sources, and prefer print or online sources for news of a political nature, but every conservative I know watches Fox News a lot.
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Post @Denizen_Kate
Jan '13

marine1

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@Denizen_Kate They all have THEIR blended points of news views and we all have our blended picks from which we choose and that my friend is what makes it the news.
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Jan '13

DyingBreed

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@Denizen_Kate Well here is one who doesn't. I don't even own a television. I still get the newspaper and catch breaking news online.
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Post @DyingBreed
Jan '13

hwyangel

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@DyingBreed

Me too, haven't owned a T.V since 1996. I drive truck over the road and have visited the tent cities, driven through the projects, participated in many events and conferences, delivered loads to several military bases and sea ports, crossed the boarders to Canada and Mexico, and talked to people from all walks of life about politics,religion and more. The one thing I can say is that I would not bet quarter on weather let alone anything else they say on T.V., lol
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Post @hwyangel
Jan '13

marine1

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There will always be two points of view, two sides to every situation and there will always be media mudding the waters and giving their points of view. To blame one more than the other is showing a lack in ones own self confidence and lessening the falue of your own position. Typical political bull flutter
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Jan '13

marine1

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I type like chickens take to water
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Jan '13

rkinsawjoe

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There are two political parties in U.S. politics but points of view are equal to the number of people in the world. And blaming "one more than the other" can also be because one is actually more to blame than the other.
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Jan '13

NTBFW

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Is he serious? Lol. Somebody has to call out his BS. It's the Presidents job to lead all the people and to find a way to make a deal. The republicans better listen to their voters that's what they are supposed to do. Obama has created the worst divide this country since the war of northern aggression.
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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dont you mean the war of southern agression?
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Jan '13

NTBFW

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@thejimbo no I got it right.
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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@NTBFW Okay then...
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Jan '13

Neo_NtheMatrix

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How absurd. First this limp wristed president wouldn't let his son play football because it's too violent and he'd cry every time his son got hit, now he's blaming Limbaugh and Fox for politicians having the good sense not to support his atrocious policies. I can't take anymore. If obama is the best president ever, give me the worst president.
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Jan '13

Starsplash

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Obama is right. The right has done nothing but obstruct for the last 4 years and you guys are blaming Obama for something that the right has caused.

The right did hold the governement hostage by making sure that Obama is only a one term. They failed and 4 years have been wasted because the right lost the election and are poor sports. Not to mention they didn't contribute a single thing to the table. And compromise does not mean, do everything I want or else Im no agreeing.
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Post @Starsplash
Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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No surprize you want us to give you The worse president. You have not been shy about your support for W Bush.
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Post @PoliticalSpice
Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

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The president has a son?
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Jan '13

cnw95

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We've already had the worst president....herbert hoover.
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Jan '13

thejimbo

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@Denizen_Kate nope he does not have a son .@Neo_NtheMatrix did you make this up?
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Jan '13

mtkopf

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After spending the last 3-4 months here I totally believe it. How many times have you on the extreme right tossed out the term RINO in reference to ANYONE willing to work or compromise with the left on any subject.
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Jan '13

Ashstop

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In other words if we don't embrace the far left socialist views, government control, high taxes,anti busness then we are the ones to blame? Try moving off the left wall a bit!!
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Jan '13

Starsplash

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@Ashstop GG on missing his point. Hes talking about how the extreme right are always hyperbolic, which is very true.
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Jan '13

Yank

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@Starsplash hyperbolic like "ANYONE willing to work or compromise with the left on any subject."?
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Jan '13

mtkopf

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@Ashstop that's exactly what I'm talking about. I'm not even a liberal but bc I don't share your extremist views on EVERY subject you label me a liberal just like you label anyone willing to compromise with the left a RINO.
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Jan '13

Denizen_Kate

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@Ashstop - Ditto what mtkopf said.
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Jan '13

NTBFW

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You should read the real story http://shar.es/CehsM
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Jan '13

Ashstop

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Common interest is the key word here, since he's about as far left as you can get he's not going to find many republicans with common interest to his ideas
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Jan '13

marine1

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And they call us, Uncle Sams Misguide Children, now I no where we got that from.
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Jan '13

Realthinker

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What nonsense. What Rush does is explain why liberalism doesn't work for the few who cannot figure that out on their own. That's called education, not 'punishment'. Fox allows it's liberal 'contributors' to explain their positions. If that is 'punishment', it's the libs who have a problem! It is the liberals who are dehumanizing the conservatives. This topic is a primo example. Politix would never suggest that Matthews would punish someone who disagreed with him, even though 'racist' is his favorite epithet.
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Jan '13

humptydumpty

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Them evil mean repubs are always getting in his way every time he thinks hes almost got complete totalarian rule...so close to being a king an them stupid ignorant repubs always screwing it up! Looks like hes going to have to disarm them, there just aint no other way!!
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Jan '13

UScentral

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So what are FN and Rush going to do? Start a campaign against Barack? They already did that and failed twice. They're way too shortsighted to see that he just created their programming for the week which means they will once again ignore any real news or issues. Rev up the reaction machine. Can't wait to see this week's episodes.
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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rush and Fox will continue te nonsens. If they suceed repubs will continue to obstruct, then they lose more house seats in 2014. If they do not suceed obama pushes the house repubs to moderation. He gets legislative victories, Tea party primaries repubs and run candidates that say nutty things and lose elections. It's win, win.
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Post @PoliticalSpice
Jan '13

Jean

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The Republican platform is CONSERVATIVE....it one does not agree with that then they should join the Democratic party and run as such. Because they ran moderates the last two presidential elections their Conservative BASE stayed home.
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Jan '13

PNWest

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Santorum! Santorum! Santorum! When I think of the republican party I think of Santorum! None of those moderates like McCain or Romney did anything but lose. The only way the American public will recognize what the GOP is really all about is if we give a good look at Santorum. If we cover the country with Santorum people will understand what conservatism is all about. The GOP IS Santorum.
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Jan '13

Jean

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@PNWest i know you are mocking me....oh well.......but i couldn't agree more...and if not Santorum, perhaps Rand Paul, or Paul Ryan. I would be elated with any one of them but Santorum is my absolute favorite and i think this says it all:

http://youtu.be/U7pv7sO5Gng
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Jan '13

PNWest

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@Jean You are right. It was not nice to mock you and I promise not to do so anymore. Americans can disagree about where the country should be heading but when it comes down to it we are all Americans. Good Sunday evening to you and I hope you have a nice week.
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Post @PNWest
Jan '13

Jean

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@PNWest .....i personally feel that a lack of morals is ruining this country. the dem and the repubs seem to be united against we the American people. they only bother with us at election time. I personally like the tiny bit of counter balance that FOX and Rush try to bring to the liberal media machine.

I agree we are all Americans, but our elected officials (on both parties) don't seem to value us as such anymore.

I hope you have a great week as well! God Bless!
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Jan '13

PNWest

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@Jean I disagree with Rush. I think he is a very hateful person. To talk the way he did about Sandra Fluke was reprehensible. I do not listen to him often but during the times that I have heard him I have never once heard him be positive about anything. Only attack those things he disagrees with. This is not a very Christian message. If you listen only to Rush you would think that being liberal means that you are anti-God. This is not true. Many Christians are liberals. If you read the bible then you know that Jesus spent his time on earth helping the poor and downtrodden. To me that is pretty good evidence that Jesus was a liberal. Politicians of both parties are cynical and put their personal interests ahead of the welfare of the country. I don't know how to change that. Pursuit of power brings out the worst in people.
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Jan '13

mimi57

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So, he's gone from blaming Bush, to blaming Fox News and Limbagh??? LOL...
Why am I not surprised. The man will never take any responsibility for any thing!
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Jan '13

AlexMIA

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He forgot to mention the other 5-6 news organiztions that punish republicans who do not cooperate, or are simply just republicans. :)
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Jan '13

mimi57

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@AlexMIA Since 90% of the media are Jewish Liberals and completely biased, Fox is the only Conservative News on TV...there are some on radio. Fox News # 1 for 11
years in a row !!!( ;
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Jan '13

AlexMIA

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@mimi57 They're jealous! They just can't figure it out.
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Jan '13

mimi57

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@AlexMIA Unfortunately, by the time they do get it figured out, it will be too late...for
all of us !!!
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Jan '13

AlexMIA

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@mimi57 I don't think they care.
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Jan '13

Dan_Tien

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I think that political commentators have altogether too much influence on political actions, regardless of whether they are conservative or liberal.
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Jan '13

marine1

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Do these guys lead or follow, just who the hell IS running this country?
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Jan '13

BelinKS

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I think Obama needs to see how the democrats cater to and spread misinformation through the rest of the news networks that lean to the left. They cannot be seen as moderate, just liberal. I've seen Fox praise some democrats. Have you ever seen the others that lean left do the same for a republican? No, they just try to tear them down. I don't know anyone who takes Rush seriously. He may say something that's right once in a while, but otherwise is pretty much ignored by republicans. I think the majority of his followers are democrats looking for something he says to pounce on. I never watch or listen to Rush!
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Do Fox News and Limbaugh contribute to the "toxic partisan environment"?

Do Fox News and Limbaugh contribute to the "toxic partisan environment"?